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J.A. Konrath, creator of the popular Jack Daniels mystery series on Amazon, gives readers a treat with a standalone short story, "The Agreement," that he's currently offering for free in an effort to familiarize new readers with his work. According to the author, the story was one of the first he wrote, but it shows the same offbeat humor (and occasional attention to gruesome detail) that he has displayed in the Daniels books. Fittingly, Konrath eventually sold the story to Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, for it harkens back to one of the classic stories that made its way to Hitch's TV series, Roald Dahl's "Man from the South."

Like Dahl's tale, "The Agreement" is about gambling and two gamblers in particular. The protagonist, known only as Hutson, is a typical problem gambler who just doesn't know when to quit. He winds up in a high stakes poker game with a mobster named Little Louis, and Hutson calls the last pot with money he doesn't have. When he, loses, naturally, and, just as naturally doesn't have any way to raise the money quickly, Little Louis offers him a way out of his predicament. If Hutson can hold his hand on the burner of Louis' kitchen stove for ten seconds, Louis will forgive the bet, and Hutson can leave with his various bones intact.

Now I, or most other reviewers, could tell you the entire plot of "The Agreement" in two paragraphs, the one immediately above this one and an additional one revealing what happens to Hutson next. But such a synopsis wouldn't be nearly as much fun as the way Konrath tells the story. He doesn't just rush through the details in an effort to get to his punchline. Instead, he lets the story play out, detailing Hutson’s doomed efforts to phone someone willing to help him out and Louis’ rather sadistic enjoyment at discussing the details of Hutson’s predicament with his henchmen. Konrath displays a good bit of his typical dark humor here, and the effect on readers is the same as if they were listening to a skilled raconteur, spinning an after-dinner tale to an appreciative audience.

Konrath doesn’t spare readers the gritty details when it comes time for Hutson to “work off” his debt to the mobster, and some readers may find the description a bit graphic. I’m no prude, but even I thought it could have been edited down just a bit. It does however, give the story’s ending a good bit more punch that it might have had otherwise. Indeed, like Dahl’s tale, the ending ot “The Arrangement” is one that readers won’t soon forget, and, might well, months or years from now, think, “that the story where ,,, “

“The Arrangement” is a quick read; most people can get through it during a lunch break (although I’d advise doing so after they’ve eaten and, hopefully, digested their meal). The Amazon page describes the story as 33 pages long, but, in reality, the actual story takes up a bit less than half of that, with the remainder being a preview for one of Konrath’s novels. Since, :”The Arrangement” is an Amazon freebie, readers can’t complain about the amount of new material they’re getting. Instead, they can simply enjoy (albeit not over a meal), a gruesomely twisted tale from a gifted storyteller.

I don't usually read short stories, but did this one after the author wrote about it in "Last Call." The story was entertaining and showed the reader the future of Konrath. This author has brought me many, many hours of reading enjoyment. He showed a special talent even at the beginning of his career. This is a quick read and one you won't soon forget.

Mr. Konrath does warn the reader he thought the story was too violent to sell. Yes, there was a warning. For being such a short story, he puts the reader in the room, our nails in our mouth when our hands aren't over our eyes, but peeking because we had to - yes, we are there. Magnificent writing. But I'm glad to be out of that room.

Wow a very fast paced story that held my interest - read it in one sitting. The 'Agreement' was very well done with an incredible description of what the character was going through. (Un-immaginable pain)